Improvement in cultivators



IMPROVEMENT IN CU LTIVATORS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,613, dated December 5, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARQUIs L. GORHAM, of Rockford, in the countyr of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Gultivators, of which the following' is a specication:

The object of this invention is to improve the sulky-eultivator in the construction of its parts; in its workings; in its adjustability and adaptation to varying modes of cultivation of different crops in their various stag'es and to adapt it to all the uses for which a cultivator is employed inthe cultivation of crops or in the tillage ofthe soil preparatory to the planting or sowing ot seeds, and to accomplish these ends with the fewest number of parts, in their simplest and most reliable form. To this end I have constructed and arranged the machine represented in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a planview. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse rearsectional view cut through in rear of the axle, with-some ofthe parts omitted. Fig. 4 is an outside elevation ofthe drag-bar and its connection with the levers; Fig. 5, a plan View of fifth or center shovel-frame; Fig. 6, a plan view of the adjustable slide-plate.

Similar letters represent similar parts in all the iigures.

Carryin g-wheels A receive and revolve on arms of raised axle B. To the under side of axle B, at suitable intervals, are secured beams C, the forward ends of which meet and are secured together and iitted to receive the neck-yoke. D is a cross-piece framed into and secured between beams C forward of the axle. These parts conY stitute the main supporting-frame ofthe cultivator. a4 is a plate fitted with a stud extending rearward, and is secured centrally to the rear edge ofthe cross-piece D. b is a hammer-strap, fitted to receive the stud on plate a, from which it curves upward and forward in such a manner as to receive the evener between it and crosspiece D, where it is secured in place by a suitable bolt being passed through the forward end ofthe hammer-strap and through the evener and cross-piece, suitable holes being provided for its reception. These parts are so constructed that they can be changed from the upper to the under side of the cross-piece, as represented in dotted lines, for the purpose of balancing the draft ot' the machine. E are hangers secured to the under side ot' beams C, between the axle B and cross-piece l). Each hanger is fitted at its pendent end with a suitable transverse horizontal socket, 0. F are vertical sockets, each provided with a stud, d, on its inward side, project ing at right angles thereto, and are litted to enter the socket c in the pendent end of hanger E, and are heldin place by pin or otherwise. G are vertical studs secured in place in the forward ends of drag-bars H, andare litted to enter socket F. These parts furnish the double right-angle hinge on which the drag-bars I-I vibrate both vertically and laterally, F being thc intermediate or connecting portion thereof. I are arms, which may be either a part of the illtermediate or ecnnecting portion of the hinge, or may be separate pieces secured thereto, and extend rearward in the same direction ot' and above the drag-hars H. These arms, in connection with other suitable devices, t'urnish the means through which the shovels are raised and lowered, or held in an y required position vertically, and in such a manner that the lateral movements ot' the shovels will always be in a plane. 'lhe projecting ends ot' arms I are connected to levers J by links c. These levers are pivoted on fulcrum-supports on angle-brackets K, which are secured to the front side of axle B and on the upper side ot' beams (l. Levers L have their fulcrum-supports in common with levers J, and their free ends are litted in handle form, and are provided with levers j', drawrods g, and spring-bolts h, which engage in the teeth of ratchets M, which are secured in place on axle B. These levers are also provided, near their free ends, each with an outward-projecting lip, z', secured to their upper sides, which controls the upward movelnents ot' levers J, and are also provided, on their under sides, each with a button, k, which, when turned under levers J, conline them together, as at Fig. 2, in such a manner that their movements will be in unison; and when'the spring-bolts engage with the teeth in the ratchets the drag-bars H will be locked and held in a ixed position, so as not to rise or sink, and at the same time will be untrammeled in their lat-eral movements; and when the buttons k are turned so as to permit the levers to move independently, as at Fig. 4, then the drag-bars H will be free to rise, but cannot sink below the depth at which they may be set, by means of the springbolt on lever K engaging in thv teeth of the ratchets. These changes do not in any manner affect the lateral movements ol' thv dragbars. l are brace-rods, tittvd to reevive thv upper vnds ot' studs G, and are hvld in place by pins, which also hold the studs in place. Thv rvar vndsot' bravvrods I are secured to drag-bars H. Shovvls 1N are provided with nivtalliv sockets m. which svcure the lower vnds ot' standards on which they are adjustable vertically. and van bv svt at any required anglv to throw thv earth vithvr to or from the crop, and in vvvry casv are held in position by svt-screws l1. Studs l are tittvd to receive thv nppvr ends ot' standards 0. and are secured in place on thv rvar portions ot' drag-bars Il by suitable bolts. which pass through standard studs l. and drag-bars ll. The studs l) are provided with arias o. tittvd with vertical radial slots to rvcvivv tension-bolts. which hold thvtn ln plavv on thv drag-bars in such a manner that when thv shovels collie in contact with un yielding substances thv arms will slide t'rom under thv tension-bolts and the shovels will be thrown back without injury. t) are toot-rvsts with curvvd uppvr surt'acvs and right-angled pvndants. pierced to rvcvivv bolts by which they are svvnrvd in place on thv ontsidvs ot' thv dragbars. l are plates, provided with a slot, p, to rvcvivv a suitable bolt, by means ot' which they arv svcurvd in placv on thv upper sidv ot' dragbars ll, on which they arv adjustablv transvvrsvly by means ot' bolts and slots p. The outer ends ot' plates lt` arv provided with an elongated hole or slot, q, transversely to slots p, and secure thv pendent ends ot' a suitable connecting dvvicv. Frictioil-rollvrs r, with `groovvd pvriphvrivs. are secured to thv rear sidv ot' axlv l. and rvvolvv on suitable journals. b' is a suitably-bent vonnecting-bar supported on rollers r. Thv pvndent ends ot' thv bent connecting-bar S pass into slots q in plates h on drag-bars ll and hold thv drag-bars in thvir rvlativv position. Thv distance between the rvar ends ot' thv drag-bars may bv increased or diminished, as desired, by means ot' thv slotted platvs lt and thvir connection with connecting-bar S and drag-bars Il, on which they are adjustable transvvrsvly. The svat-t'rainv is composed ot' beams T, tittvd together in V-t'orm, connected at thvi1"iunvtion by platv i, which is provided with an obliquv socket to rvvvivv thv shank 11 ot' seat Y in such a lnannvr that when the seat is lowered it will also movv t'orward and when raised will lnove rearward. and may bv held in any position by means ot' svt-screws u'. This seat-frame is supported forward on axlv B, thv ends otl beams T proivcting tin-ward thvrvot', and are connected to beams by suitable boltsj, by means ot' which the seat may be raisvd and lowered. ln this arrangement ot'thv main t'ramv and seat-frame thv vvntvr ot' thv trame is left, open,

furnishing an unobstructed View of the plants. l W are shivlds connected forward bybolts to dragbars ll and rearward to seat-frame by cords .1', by means ot' which they can be raised to free them when clogged. X is a central drag-bar, carrying a ventvr or tit'th shovel, and is provided at its forward vnd with curved braces, thc ends of which are pivrvvd to receive the same bolts which connect the shields to the drag-bars, the shield having been previously removed. Z is a transverse bar svvnrvd to bar X, and is designed to rest on dra g-bars H, for the purpose of supportl ing the center drag-bar, and is represented in plaev in dotted lines at Fig. 1. In this machine the dragbars H, carrying the shovels, are independent ot' each other in their Vertical movements; the sockets e and studs (l furnish the joint on which they vibrate. Sockets l" and studs G furnish the hin ge employed in the lateral Inovements ot' the drag-bars; and when the shovels are ata proper working depth it is designed that the studs G in t'orward ends ot' drag-bars shall be as nearly as possible. in a vertical position, in which case the lateral movements of the shovels will be in a horizontal plane.

l claim as my invention l. The combination ofthe beams C and crossbrace l) with the plate ce and hammer-strap b, constructed in the manner and for the purposes as shown and described.

L'. The ct-nnbination ofthe slotted 'adjusting'- plate o and stud l ha ving a recess to receive the plow-standard with the standard O, constructed as shown and described.

3. The combination of the angular beams T bearing upon axle B with the adjusting screwbolt ,j and bealn C, constructed and arranged in thv manner and t'or the purpose shown.

l. The hangers .u with sockets c connected to vertical sockets F by stud d, arms I, and links c, in combination with the lifting-levers J and L and t'nlcrum-bracket K, all arranged to opera-te in the manner described.

5. The sway-bar S and rollers r, in combinaj tion with the slotted adjustable plates It and beams or dra g-bars H, constructed and arranged to operate in the manner as described.

(5. The lever L having lip 'i and button k thereon, in combination with lever J and l'ulcrumbracket K, as described.

T. The shields W pivoted to the forward end of beams ll, and suspended and adjusted by cords .r passing through the beams T, and by which eords the shields are raised at the will ot' thc operator and independently ot' the bealns H and of 

